Waves, sound & optics worksheet with answers

Free printable Waves, sound & optics worksheet: 6 problems from easy to exam level, with an answer key. Print it or save it as a PDF.

New worksheetPractise online with hints

For teachers: free to print, copy and use in class. Every new worksheet has new values and its own answer key. A link to ExamProblems on your course page is appreciated.

Name: ____________________   Date: ____________

1.Easy
L = 0.6 m

A string of length 0.6 m and mass 4 g carries transverse waves at 86.6 m/s. Find the tension T in the string.

L = 0.6 mm = 4 gv = 86.6 m/s
T = N
2.Easy
25°θ₂ = ?air, n1​ = 1.00water, n2​ = 1.33

A light ray in air (n = 1.00) strikes a flat boundary with water (n = 1.33) at 25° to the normal. Find the angle of refraction θ2, measured from the normal.

n1 = 1.00n2 = 1.33θ1 = 25°
θ2 = °
3.Medium
FFdo​ = 25 cmf = 20 cm

An object stands 25 cm in front of a thin converging lens with a focal length of 20 cm. Find the image distance di. Use the sign convention 1/f = 1/do + 1/di (f < 0 for a diverging lens, di < 0 for a virtual image).

do = 25 cmf = 20 cm
di = cm
4.Medium
FFdo​ = 60 cmf = 5 cm

An object stands 60 cm in front of a thin converging lens with a focal length of 5 cm. Find the image distance di. Use the sign convention 1/f = 1/do + 1/di (f < 0 for a diverging lens, di < 0 for a virtual image).

do = 60 cmf = 5 cm
di = cm
5.Hard
Fdo​ = 4 cmR = 16 cm

An object is 4 cm in front of a convex mirror with a radius of curvature of 16 cm. Find the magnification m (negative for an inverted image).

do = 4 cmR = 16 cm
m =
6.Hard
λ = ?15.7°

A grating with 600 lines per millimetre shows the order-1 maximum of a spectral line at 15.7° from the straight-through direction. Find the wavelength λ of the line.

N = 600 mm⁻¹θ1 = 15.7°m = 1
λ = nm

Answer key

  1. 1. T = 50 N
  2. 2. θ2 = 18.53 °
  3. 3. di = 100 cm
  4. 4. di = 5.455 cm
  5. 5. m = 0.6667
  6. 6. λ = 451 nm

Full step-by-step solutions: practise this topic on examproblems.com.